Labeling machines, in particular rotary labeling machines, are sufficiently well known from the prior art. In this case, the entire labeling station of the labeling machine, i.e. the carrier with the gripper cylinder and also the label magazine and the gluing roller, is formed for example as a unit that can rotate about the carrier axis. Due to the rotation-related shift in the rotational path of the gripping and pressing elements in the direction of the transport path of the objects, in particular of the containers to be labeled, such as bottles, cans, cardboard boxes and the like, the different distances of the regions to be labeled, brought about by the different object formats, can be covered by the labeling station.
For example, there is known from DE 10 2004 005 994 A1 such a labeling machine for applying labels to peripheral surfaces of containers such as bottles, cans, cardboard boxes, etc., that comprises a movement and transport plane for the containers, an associated handover region for applying the labels to the containers, and a labeling station with label transfer and label supply devices. A label-transfer element carries out the label transfer. A typical label-transfer element has moving devices in the form of a plurality of servo motors or motor-driven length-adjustable moving arms that are mounted in a multidimensionally movable and adaptable manner in a working space with unrestricted actuation of a pivot point that can be selected without restriction for label transfer.
In order to achieve a good labeling result, namely a label applied in a bubble-free and/or fold-free manner, the orientation of the label-transfer element relative to the container to be labeled is of primary importance. In particular, it is necessary that an optimal spatial orientation of the label-transfer element relative to the container to be labeled is achieved so that, for example, the dispensing edge of the label-transfer element is oriented almost completely parallel to the peripheral surface to be labeled on the object.
In the event of a change in the labeling task, for example in the event of a change in format, a readjustment of the label-transfer element relative to the container to be labeled is required, wherein already existing, tried and optimized settings for a given format are usually no longer reproducible. Reasons for the lack of reproduction accuracy include the play in the mechanical components and the lack of precision of the position counters available on the market for the required movement motors, particularly the lack of precision of spindle motors.
Another problem arises in the case of labeling machines of modular construction, in which the labeling units for the different labeling techniques, e.g. self-adhesive technique, cold gluing technique, hot gluing technique or labels applied from a roll, etc. are swapped with one another. Particularly when removing and re-attaching such a labeling module, relatively large deviations occur in the achieved orientation or positioning. Such a deviating orientation of the labeling module as a whole has a direct effect on the orientation of the label-transfer element. This means that the label-transfer element itself, even if the optimized setting is correctly taken over, is in principle incorrectly oriented relative to the peripheral surface of the container to be labeled if the labeling module as such is not correctly inserted. As a particularly important feature of the prior art, this means that the display elements known from the prior art, particularly position displays, display only the orientation of the label-transfer element relative to the labeling module.